First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 43

  I am up before the sun, like usual. But instead of lacing up my shoes and heading out for a run, I stay put. Dani is still asleep, her breathing steady beside me. She'd asked me to stay last night, and there was no way I was going to say no to that.

  I don't want to leave the house. Not when everything still feels like it is holding together by a thread. So I quietly slip out of bed, still in my joggers and sports bra, and head downstairs. I roll out my back and shoulders, and start running through a few circuits in the living room... pushups, planks, slow mountain climbers. Enough to work out some of the nerves.

  My phone rings on the coffee table, and I stop mid pushup to answer it, swiping sweat off my brow with the back of my arm when I see "Mama" on the screen.

  "Hey, Mama," I answer, my breath still a little uneven.

  "Hey, baby," she says, warm and bright like always. "You're up early, as usual huh?"

  "Yeah. Didn't run today though. Just doing a few exercises in the living room."

  I can hear her smile through the phone. "Still like staying over there?"

  "Yeah."

  "Well, I was calling to see if you're coming home for Christmas Eve dinner and our usual tradition. Your mom already made the cinnamon cider and is driving me up the wall."

  I open my mouth to respond, but she keeps going before I can.

  "And bring Dani and KK, if she's up for it. No pressure, but we'd love to have them too. Get them out of the house a bit and help her get back to feeling normal. Your mom and I know first hand how it can be. It'll do y'all good."

  I pause, then nod even though she can't see it. "Okay. I'll ask her when she wakes up."

  "Good," she says. "Tell her we'll have plenty of food and she doesn't have to bring anything but her pretty self and that sweet little girl of hers."

  I chuckle. "I'll tell her. Love you, mama. Tell mom I love her too."

  "Love you too, baby and I will. See you later."

  I hang up and start back on pushups again. I didn't even hear Dani coming down the stairs until I caught her in the corner of my eye... just standing there, halfway down, staring at me like she forgot how to blink.

  I look over at her and raise an eyebrow. "You good?"

  Dani blinks fast, face already pink. "Sorry. I was just..." She whispers "damn," but it's loud enough that I hear it.

  I can't help the smirk that tugs at my mouth. She looks away fast and heads straight to the kitchen, fanning herself when she turns her back like she is trying to shake it off.

  I stand and walk into the kitchen behind her, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "Good morning," I say.

  Dani keeps her back to me for a second, then turns around slowly, face still a little flushed. "Morning."

  I lean against the counter. "Mama called. She asked if I was coming home for our Christmas Eve dinner and our usual tradition tonight. They always cook a big dinner on Christmas Eve then we do a big Christmas dinner with turkey and even more food."

  Dani's brows lift a little. "Oh, yeah?"

  "Yeah. She wants you and KK to come too. Said only if you're up for it though."

  Dani grabs a mug from the cabinet and starts pouring coffee. "That actually sounds... really nice. KK would love that."

  I nod. "She said not to worry about bringing anything. Just yourselves."